South
Africa, the land of splendour, lies at the southern extremity of the
African continent. It was during 1488, when Bartholomeu Dias was looking
for a sea route to India, that the first contact between Europe and
Southern Africa was made.

In 1652,
the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC) decided to establish a
settlement at the Cape of Good Hope and on 6 April 1652, Jan van Riebeeck,
together with 90 men, arrived in Table Bay, where Cape Town was founded.

Today
South Africa has a population of approximately 40 million. Over the
years many cultural groups have immigrated to South Africa and therefore
it has a rich diversity of cultures. It also has a dramatic range of
environments - from placid lakes to deserts. The climate ranges from
subtropical and Mediterranean to occasional snowfalls.

South
Africa's national wealth is derived from mining, agriculture, the manufacturing
industry, exports and tourism.